Flying-machine.



W. REBIKOFF.

, FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1007 Patented. Aug. 1, $911.

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W. REBIKOFE.

FLYING MACHINE. I APPLICATION EILED MAR. 9, 1907.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

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In carrying out this invention I STATIE ann'r or'rion.

FLYING-MACHINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Application filed March 9, 1907. Serial no. 361,525.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WASSILY REBIKOFF,

a subject of theC'zar of Russia, residing at form speed the air offers a certain resistance but if the plane is given a sudden abrupt movement, a sudden jerk, it produces a shock on the air and' the-resistance given by the air is greatly increased, asmuch as seven to twenty five times greater, as I have proved by experiments. If such a quick vibratory movement is communicated'to a plane, each side of the said plane will meet a resistance to the movement, corresponding to the speed of the latter. If it were desired to utilize such a vibratory movement of a horizontal planejn order to raise it in the air, the periods of the descending movements would give the useful pressures (the support) and the periodsof the as cending movements, the injurious pressures. Thus if it is desired to utilize a vibrating plane for aerial locomotion it is necessary to find means for eliminating the injurious resistance during the periods of the ascending movements of the plane,'allowing the plane to be subjected to pressure only from below. In studying this subject 'I have found that to obtain a successful result. it is necessary to employ an abrupt downward motion ofthe plane in combination with means for providing a cushion of air or compressed air under the plane in order to neutralize or minimize the injurious effects of the' air resistance above the plane, on its rising movement-s.

My invention therefore consists in applying to a plane or planes for the purpose of raising and sustaining a flying machine the great resistance'which the air ofiersto a plane which suddenly and abruptly strikes the air.

of the machine to be raised bythe plane or This resistance .gives to the plane a support which allows the body to the plane or planes, vertical vibratory or reciprocating movements withsudden and abrupt downward strokes, andat the same time I produce a horizontal current of air forced under the plane or planes which current eliminates the injurious effect of the air resistance to the up-stroke, giving at all times a pressure on the under surface of the plane or planes. For propelling the flying machine I employ the usual propel; lers or I may in suitable conditions give more force to the propellers used for producing the horizontal current of air. For giving the sudden or abrupt downward motion to the plane or planes I'preferably employ an explosion motor without fly wheel or crank, or I may use springs, or compressed air. This system of aerial locomotion consists therefore in the simultaneous combination of two movements; vibratory-and rotatory. In some cases, the plane at the same time can act as an orthopter and as a helicopter, in others, as an orthoptation, the amplitude of the vibratory movement and the speed of the ascending movement of the vibrating plane. The size of the blades and their area depends on the speed of the descending movement of the vibrating plane, on the size of the welght to be raised and on the degree of tension of the material of the plane and of the bars which support it and fix it to the spindle.

The working of my system is, therefore, as follows :D uring the first or downward stage of the vibratory movement, the hellcal rotating striking the air, finds in the latter a support and raises the whole structure. During the second or upward stage of the movement, the helical plane screws in the a1r, and, resting on the latter, rises, and at the thatthe speed of the ascendingmovement must be less than thefspeed of the demandlane quickly descends, and

same time raises its spindle and the parts Fig. 4 a detail.

- The force of the air current impinging on the under surface of the plane may be slight, seeing that the plane can be counterbalanced by springs having a tendency to increase the distance between the the body of the machine. In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 plane and shows in side view a flying apparatus diagrammatically, which is constructed according to a system of uniting rotative and vibrative movement (orthohelicopter). Fig. 2 is a plan view: Fig. 3 an end view, and

The apparatus comprises a light structure a, preferably built on the diagonal-stay system of thin-walled steelpipes and forming the shell of the apparatus. To give the vibrative movements gasolene motors. without flywheels or cranks are placed within said structure. The piston rods of the motors are connected, by means of -swinging levers b and rods 0, with a roller abutment bearing of the axle p of the screw or helicopterous surface A. This. bearing is placed inside a cross-head d arranged'to slide along vertical guides e firmly fastened to the .shell of the apparatus.

The rotation of the axle is performed by means of motors f actuating wheel g, along the bushing of which the axle of the screw surface may slide, up and down. To decrease the friction, the rotative force transmitted through the medium of rollers 71. (Fig. 4) and abutment strips 11 instead of a key, the first being fastened to the axle and the second to pulley g.

The fulcrum I: of the swinging levers b may be adjustable to enable the am litude of the movements of the screw-sur ace to be varied.

The progressive movement of the apparatus may be produced either by ordinary screws B carried on horizontal axles B supported in bearings B and driven by pulleys B and belts B from motors B, or by inclining the axis of the vibrating screw surface.

To do away with thel'tendency of the whole apparatusto revolve around the vertical axis, resulting from' the resistance of the air to the rotation of a screw vibrating surface, a screw D is located at each en of the shell, of whichscrews the axes of rotation are at right angles to .the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. These same screws may fulfil the function of rudders.

For greater safety, the orthohelicopters maybe furnished with two vibrating surfaces, which may have a common axis of ro-,

tation by using tubular axes one within the other revolving in opposite directions.

For decreasing the work for rotating vibratory screwsof the orthohelicopter as well as thex'speedand pressure of the horizontal current of air required for raising the inclinedplanes of the orthoa'eroplane the screws as well as the planes may be balanced to a certain'degree by the aid of springs tending to raise the screw or the plane. Thus the work of the motor imparting downward vibration increases when the screw or plane descends as it has to stretch the spring equalizing the screw or plane but owing to this the work of the motor or motors rotating the blades in a helicopter .or producing the horizontal current of air with an aeroplane decreases. This renders it possible to decrease the number of revolutions of the screws or their speed and to increase the co-eflicient of the work of the motors giving downwardmotion and to aiford a possibility of the orthoaeroplane to rise almost vertically against the wind, as the slightest wind will raise the plane.

What I claim-as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

v 1'. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a substantially horizontal supporting member capableof up and down 'motion, mechanism to impart abrupt downward motions to said member, mechanism for rotating said supporting member and producing a horizontal, current of air beneath thesame, substantially asset forth.

\ 2. In a flying machine the combination with aiframe, of substantially.horizontal vibratoryjmembers, mechanism to impart abruptdownward motions to said members, mechanism for rotating said vibratory members and producing a horizontal current of air beneath the same, substantially asset forth.

3. In a flying machine the combination with a frame, of a substantially horizontal supporting member, capable of up and down motion, mechanism to impart abrupt down ward motions to said member, mechanism for rotating said supporting member, and screw propellers to produce a horizontal current of air beneath said supporting member, substantially as set forth.

4. In a flying machine the combination with a frame, of substantially horizontal vibratory ;members, mechanism :to impart abrupt downward motions to's aid members, mechanism for rotating said vibratory members, and screw propellers tozproduce a horibeneath the horizontal member, substantially as set forth.

6. In a flying machine the combination with a frame, of a substantially vertical shaft, a horizontal supporting member rotatably mounted and longitudinally movable on said shaft, motor mechanism for rotating said shaft, motor mechanism for im; parting abrupt downward motions to said supporting member, and vertical propellers mounted on the frame at right angles to the aforesaid members, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 25 two subscribing. witnesses.

WASSILY REBIKOFF. Witnesses:

HERNANDO DE 80130, J ACK H. BAKER. 

